Star Indian batter Virat Kohli, renowned for his passion and intensity on the field, was at his fiery best as he gave a spirited send-off to Australian opener Nathan McSweeney during the second day of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. Kohli’s animated reaction came after Jasprit Bumrah delivered a much-needed breakthrough for Team India in the first session.
Australia began Day 2 of the Test match in a strong position at 86/1, with McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne well-set at the crease. The Indian bowlers, who had struggled to make inroads on the opening day, were under pressure to strike early on Saturday, December 7. Bumrah, India’s most reliable pacer, stepped up to the challenge.
On the very first ball of the 37th over, Bumrah dismissed McSweeney in classic fast-bowling fashion. Delivering a ball just short of a good length, Bumrah got it to straighten after pitching, forcing McSweeney to defend from the crease. However, the ball found the outside edge of his bat, flying straight into the safe gloves of wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
ALSO READ: “The best thing might be to miss the IPL this year” – Robert Key to Jofra Archer
As soon as the catch was completed, Virat Kohli, stationed in the slips, erupted in celebration. His roar of delight and intense send-off to McSweeney underscored how crucial the wicket was for India. McSweeney, who had batted with patience and resilience for his 39 runs off 109 balls, was forced to head back to the pavilion after adding just one run to his overnight score.
#JaspritBumrah provides the early breakthrough on Day 2 and #NathanMcSweeney is caught behind!#AUSvINDOnStar 2nd Test 👉 LIVE NOW on Star Sports! #AUSvIND | #ToughestRivalry pic.twitter.com/CzHEUxUIsy
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 7, 2024
— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) December 7, 2024
The dismissal brought relief to the Indian camp, which was striving to regain control after a challenging first day. Kohli’s high-energy celebration showcased his trademark passion and galvanised his teammates, setting the tone for the rest of the session. With Labuschagne still at the crease, India knew they had more work to do, but Bumrah’s strike offered a glimmer of hope for a resurgence in the pink-ball Test.
ALSO READ: Nitish Kumar Reddy shares what motivated him to take cricket seriously
Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Nitish Reddy, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
